Standing Out
by Pricat
Summary: Shrek has BBS but doesn't know yet but Charming finds iyt and plans to use this against him by breaking his spirit and confidence. It's up to Fiona and the others to give him help to be confident and stop Charming before it's too late...
1. Worried

Standing Out

Ch 1

Snowgre noticed something was wrong with his cousin Shrek.

He'd been having trouble with his night vision and side vision problems.

Snowgre was half blind because of BBS, a rare syndrome.

"_He must know but hiding so he doesn't feel like a freak._

_But I understand how he feels." _He thought as he noticed Shrek having trouble decorating the swamp for Christmas.

Snow then began to fall.

Shrek then saw his son Meatballs suddenly appear in his line of vision.

"You okay Dad?" he asked him.

"Y-Yeah I just didn't see you." He told him.

Fiona noticed her husband was sad.

It was two weeks until Christmas.

"Hey guys what's going on?" Fiona heard Leah say as she and Carley say as they came into the house.

"This is a great surprise!

What're you guys doing here?" Fiona told them.

"We're on Winter break until after New Year's.

We… thought we'd spend Christmas with you guys." Leah told her as she found Carley with Snowgre.

They were talking about manga they'd read.

"What's wrong with Shrek?

It's nearly Christmas and he's bummed." She told him.

"He's going to the doctor's later." He told her.

Later he'd came back from the doctor's but was depressed.

Inside the triplets were playing Tony Hawk's while Snowgre was helping in the kitchen along with Carley and Leah.

They were helping Fiona make cookies.

"Hey honey.

How was it?" Fiona asked Shrek.

"It was okay." he told her.

The next couple of nights he couldn't sleep.

The results of his tests would be sent through mail.

The next morning Snowgre saw a letter and read it.

He gasped in shock at this.

"_I knew he has BBS._

_He's gonna be bummed when he finds out._

_I'd better let Fiona see this!"_ he thought as he found Fiona in the kitchen.

She was making eggs for breakfast and singing her morning song.

"Hey Snowg what's wrong?" she asked catching pan cakes in the pan.

"The results from the tests are back.

You'd better read this." Snowgre replied handing her the letter.

She looked like she was about to cry.

"Don't worry.

He'll deal with it, he always does." he told her as he watched her go into her and Shrek's room.

"_Poor husband._

_This news is gnna destroy him._

_I can't tell him._

_I don't have the heart to."_ she thought watching her husband sleep peacefully.

But somebody, a certain blond haired prince had found the letter and smiled.

"Oh this is the best news ever!

With this, I can get revenge on Shrek." Charming thought as he plotted...


	2. Breaking Him Down

Standing Out

Ch 2

Snowgre saw sadness in Fiona's eyes as he and the others were Christmas shopping in Far, Far Away.

"What's up Fi-Fi?" Snow asked her.

"It's nothing Snowdrop." She answered sadly.

Shrek was hanging out at Farbuck's with Artie.

Artie noticed something wasn't normal with his friend as he drank an eggnog latte.

"I've… got to go pee, okay?" Artie said as he went to the rest room.

Shrek then heard an evil cackle as Charming watched him from behind a vase.

"What're you doing here?" he roared.

"It's okay to be angry.

I would be too if I were…" he said smiling.

"Were what?" Shrek asked him.

"A disabled, half blind freak." Charming replied showing him the letter.

Fiona saw Leah and Artie come over as Charming left.

"You okay?

He didn't hurt you?

That's weird." Artie told him but saw tears in his friend's hazel eyes.

"_That look of sadness._

_Charming must've done something to make him upset." _He thought as he watched Shrek leave.

"He… must've told him he has BBS.

That's the only thing I can think of." Carley told them.

Fiona nodded as Snowgre went after him.

"_This is bad, very bad._

_He feels like a freak because of this but it doesn't make him that._

_Like what he told me._

_It's what you think of tourself, not what anybody else says."_ Artie thought as he saw Shrek at the swamp drinking cocoa.

He seemed miserable.

"You okay?

You look bummed." he said joining him.

"Artie I have to go... somewhere where there's ogres with BBS like me." he said to him sadly.

"Y-You can't leave!

You may be half blind but we... still love you as you are half blind or not.

You know it." the young King told him.

"Yeah Artie thanks but I'm just gonna be a burden to the others.

M-Maybe I should go for a while." Shrek replied staring sadly at the symbol cane in his left hand.

But then Artie saw Shrek get knocked out and saw somebody appear.

It was Charming's wife and the Bald Traitor.

"Rapunzel let him go!" Artie yelled trying to stop her wuith karate moves but she stopped him.

"Nice try kid.

Fiona must've taught you that.

But it didn't work." she cackled disappearing.

"_Why would Charming want to hurt him this time?_

_It doesn't make sense."_ he thought as Snow and the other princesses returned.

"Is Fiona with you?" Artie asked them.

"No she, Carley and Leah are still at the mall.

Why did you ask that?" Doris asked.

"Rapunzel showed up and took Shrek.

He's up to something." Artie replied as they entered the house.

Fiona had a feeling something wasn't right as she and her friends left Macy's.

"You okay?" Leah asked her.

"I-I'm okay." she told her.

Carley saw worry in her friend's eyes.

Shrek awoke in a darkened cell with dim light.

He couldn't see anything because his night vison was gone.

"What's he up to?" he thought as his ears picked up Charming's foot steps and growled.

"We meet again." Charming said to him.

"What're you up to?" Shrek asked him.

"Crushing your spirit so you'll never beat me again.

Besides your friend won't come.

Why would they want a disabled freak like you?

All you'll be is a burden to them." Charming told him.

Tars fell from his hazel eyes at that.

"You're doing well." Rapunzek told Charming as they kissed.

Fiona along with Carley and Leah were freaked when Artie told them what had happened.

"We've gotta rescue him!" Leagh heard Carley say as she had her symbol cane in her left hand.

"I know you do but maybe Charming wants to happen." Fiona told her.

The teen sighed as she watched them leave.

Leah knew she'd been feeling down because of college.

In her class nobody talked to her or made friends with her.

She felt alone and small like a bug.

But ever since they'd arried at Duloc, she'd felt better.

Fiona saw Snow hold hands with her as they walked.

"Maybe you should've let Carley come with us.

She's the only one besides Shrek who has BBS." she told her.

"You're right but I didn't want her to get hurt.

Leah would've been upset if she got hurt like you with me." she replied to her...

She nodded.

Shrek was lying in the darkened cell bruised and beat up from Charming's men.

He hoped the others would come but he had a feeling they wouldn't as Charming's words echoed in his head.

Tears fell from his eyes.

"That's right.

I'm getting through to him." Charming thought watching him in his sadness...


	3. All Alone

Standing Out

Ch 3

Shrek sighed waking up as the early sun light shone through the bars.

He looked at his hands sadly as there were shackles around his wrists.

"_This feeling of pain and sadness…_

_Is this what Carley feels because she has BBS?_

_She's probably freaking out." _He thought.

Charming smiled as he saw him curl into a ball.

Leah had seen this in her mind as she woke up.

Fiona and Snow wondered why she was quiet as they set off.

"Hey guys wait for me!" a voice yelled as a spiky blond haired ten ran up to them.

He was wearing an orange and black track suit.

A black Leaf Village Head band was on his head.

"Naruto what're you doing here?" Artie asked surprised as the Chunnin hugged Leah.

"Let's just say a friend told me to help you guys get Shrek back.

Gaara's coming too but he's bringing somebody with him." He answered as he and Snowgre banged fists together.

Leah smiled realising who'd told Naruto to come.

"Carley must've asked him and Gaara to help.

I hope she's okay." she thought as they kept walking.

Gaara smiled as he and Carley arrived near Charming's lair.

He hadn't seen her or Leah in a while.

"Should we go in?

I could use Sand Coffin to destroy Charming." the Kazakage told her.

"I know but let's wait for the others to get here." Carley replied smiling shakily.

She then used her mental chakra to lead her to her ogre friend's cell.

He was surprised to see her mental form beside him.

"Y-You came!

I knew you would but I feel so sad and alone." he told her as she touched his arm gently.

"_Don't worry Leah and the others are coming soon._

_Besides I'd never leave you to be here on your own._

_I know how it feels having BBS._

_The whole world feels sorry for you and doesn't respect you for who you are._

_It's a horrible life._

_I know you'll pull through._

_With all of us, the pain will go away._

_Like when I met Leah, the pain was still there but I ignored it._

_Suddenly I felt like life was worth living._

_You and Leah are my family._

_Never forget that." _she told him as she destroyed the shackles using her chakra.

He smiled at that as he rubbed his wrists.

"Thanks.

Leah and the others will be here., I hioe." he said to her.

She nodded as she remained with him.

Gaara wondered what was going on but she was using the Dream jutsu.

Later Leah gasped seeing him and Carley lying by his side while he sat on the ground.

"Is she okay?" Fiona asked as Carley's eyes opened.

"I'm fine.

Shrek's okay in a darkened cell but he could get worse." she answered them.

Naruto knew how much she cared for Shrek and the others.

He was reminded of him and Gaara.

"Let's do this!" Snow told them as they entered the place.

Shrek was asleep as Leah used earth bending to open the door.

"What happened to him?

It's like Charming hates him just for being alive!" Naruto told them.

"He gets like that when he doesn't get his way." Carley told him as they got Shrek out of there.

"To the castle!" Artie yelled when they entered Far, Far Away.

Fiona and the others then entered the castle.

Lillian was surprised but shocked when Fiona explained things.

Gaara was looking at the Chrisrmas tree, his green eyes glassy.

"It's... pretty." he whispered smiling as he held Naruto's hand and blushed.

Leah found Carley and Fiona by Shrek's bed side.

He was covered in bandages and out cold.

"Don't worry he'll be okay.

He can handle anything." she told her.

"Yes but he's depressed about having BBS." Carley said siftly as they kissed.

Fiona understood as she joined the others.

"Please get better." she whispered leaving..


	4. A Long Lost Family Member Returns

Standing Out

Ch 4

Lillian noticed Fiona was quiet, very quiet at breakfast.

"What's wrong Fi-Fi?

It's to do with Shrek, isn't it?" Snow asked softly stroking her hair.

Fiona nodded sadly as they heard Naruto eating another bowl of ramen.

"How does he do that?" Lillian asked.

"He has a bottomless pit of a stomach." Gaara replied.

"Hey!!

That's not true!

I just get hubgry, okay?" the blond haired boy told them as they laughed.

Snow wondered where Leah was along with Carley.

They were still asleep with their arms wrapped around each other.

"Just like me and Fi-Fi." She thought leaving the room.

Somebody was watching the castle.

His name was Silvrestri and he was related to Shrek.

He was twelve wearing black clothes and a long black cape around them.

He had brown eyes like Shrek but sad.

"I hope you'll be okay brother." He thought as he entered the room like a shadow.

Leah felt a presence as she got up.

She saw Silvrestri in the room with Shrek and tensed up.

"Who're you?

I swear if you're here to hurt him, I'll…" she said but saw sadness in the ogre kid's eyes.

"… I'm not here to hurt him.

I'm…. his brother Silvrestri.

I haven't seen him in a long time because I was in high school in New York.

I'm on vacation.

I heard about what happened to him.

He is a very special guy." He told him as he looked at her, his ears drooping sadly.

Silvrestri was slender but had short dark hair.

Fiona wondered what was going on.

"_I hope you're okay after what Charming did to you._

_He doesn't onderstand how special you are." _He thought walking into the castle.

He was twelve years old but wore black clothes and a long cape around them.

He then entered the room Shrek was in like a shadow.

Leah felt his presence and went into the room.

"Who're you and what do you want?

If you hurt him, U swear I'll..." she said as he looked at her nervous.

"I'm Silvrestri Shrek's brother.

I heard sbout what happened." he answered her.

"How come we haven't seen you before?" she asked him.

"I was in high school in New York.

I'm on vacation." he told her sadly.

Fiona wondered what was going on.

She saw the ogre kid andf smiled.

She could tell he had Shrek's eyes.

"I'm Silvrestri your husband's brother." he told her.

She noticed Japanese markings over his body.

"How did you get those?

They look cool" Naruto asked him but Silvrestri was shy.

"They appeared when I was growing up." he answered softly.

Gaara had a feeling this kid was like him with a demon in him.

"... F-Fiona what's going on?" they heard somebody ask.

It was Shrek.

"You're okay!" he heard Silvrestri say but smiled sadly.

"I-I haven't seen you in a while since I left." he whispered to the teen.

"What do you mean?" Leah asked him curious.

"He's my step brother from Japan.

His parents were good friends with mine so when his parents died, we took him in.

Silvrestri and I have a very good bond as siblings until I left." he explained to them.

"_Does he know about my burden, my demon inside?_

_But our parents didn't tell him about that." _he thought as he saw Carley hug Shrek gently.

Naruto saw the look in his eyes, the look of sadness because he had a demon inside him.

Lillian saw Gaara cooking cookies for Christmas.

That shocked Leah but the others were impressed.

He smiled sadly looking at Naruto.

He hadn't told the others about how they felt.

Shrek then heard somebody cry as his eyes opened.

It was Silvrestri.

"_Why won't they understand?_

_I can't control it once it's out in me."_ the teen thought as he felt a hand on his shoulder.

It was Artie.

He knew how Silvrestri felt.

He'd felt like that at Worchester.

He then saw Carley on her own.

"Hey where's Leah?" Artie asked her softly.

"She went with Fiona and the other princesses.

It's okay." he heard her say.

Fiona noticed Leah was sad.

"I feel bad for leaving Carley alone in the castle." Leah told her.

Shrek then saw Gaara with Carley.

He knew she'd been depressed at college because nobody talked to her in class or in her band.

He knew she was more confident in this world and with them.

It was nearly Christmas Eve.

He hoped that Christmas would make his friend feel better along with himself.

Fiona hoped that too as she went to get food for the dinner...

She knew how he was depressed about having BBS.

She wanted to make him feel better or try...


	5. Feeling Down before Christmas

Standing Out

Ch 5

Charming smiled as he saw Silvrestri.

"I might have found a way to get revenge on Shrek.

He wouldn't let anything happen to Silvrestri." He thought as he went to the North Pole.

He wanted to ruin Christmas so others would be miserable.

"_I'm going to make sure he pays for the times he beat me!" _he thought.

He knew that Silvrestri's demon was very odd but could use it to take care of Shrek.

Santa watched as Charming grabbed the sceptre of Christmas cheer.

He then cackled as he locked up Santa and the elves.

Shrek saw Silvrestri shake as his eyes glowed with chakra.

"Uh-oh!

His demon's taking over." he thought as he approached him slowly.

But then Silverestri saw Gaara come near him.

"It's okay kid.

I know how you feel.

I have a demon in me too, one hard to control." he said to him.

His eyes were blank as he was in his mind.

_Silvrestri shivered as he saw his wolf demon corner him._

_He had black fur, red eyes._

_"W-What do you want?" he asked nervous._

_"I want you to ruin Christmas through me._

_Do it or else I'll make those you care about siffer!" he told him._

_"I-I can't do that._

_This time of year means a kit to people and me." Silvrestri told him._

_"I thought you were the right vessel for me but I was wrong." he told him as he disappeared._

_Silvrestri shivered as he saw him leave..._

Shrek and the others saw Silvrestri's eyes open.

"You okay?

You really scared us." Leah heard Shrek say as they hugged him.

"... Sorry guys but the demon in me is gone forever.

I'Mm free." he answered him.

Naruto saw Gaara smile hearing that.

Gaara had been freed of his demon by Chiyo his mother aNnd Naruto.

Charming cackled as he opened most of the presents in the work shop.

He then felt something enter him.

It was the wolf demon.

"I feel stronger." he growled as his eyes were full of chakra.

Shrek then saw Fiona shiver in fear as she heard Snow cough and fall to her knees.

But he had a vision of what Charming was up to.

He growled as his eyes opened.

"What did you see?" Carley asked him.

"I... saw Charming wrecking Christmas in the North Pole." he answered her sadly.

"L-;Let's go!" Fiona said nervously as a portal opened.

"Don't worry Fi-Fi I'll be okay.

The others need you." Snow said weakly as Fiona went through the portal...

Charming growled as he saw them enter the work shop.

He then used his chakra to bring nut crackers to life.

"Go after them and bring them to me alive!" he ordered as they did his bidding.

Shrek stared at the North Pole along with the others.

Naruto then threw a snow ball at Gaara.

"Sorry couldn't help it!" he said smiling innocently.

Leah smiled blushing as she and Carley held hands.

"Looks like somebody's in love!

But isn't that weird?" sNOWGRE SAID TO THE OTHERS.

"No it's not.

Gaara and I are like that but it makes us feel better and not alone." Naruto told them as Gaara blushed.

But they heard foot steps.

"What's going on?" Fiona asked them.

"I don't know.

Maybe they can help us." Leah said.

Shrek watched as the nut crackers tied up his friends with candy cane ropes.

"Nice try Charming but it won't work!" he yelled as he saw them go off with his friends.

"A-Are they gone?" he heard somebody say as she poked her head out of the snow.

It was Carley.

"Yeah they're gone." he told her.

"Good let's go save the others before it's too late." Shrek told her as they went near the work shop.

Naruto then used his chakra to bust them out of the cage Charming had put them in.

"Arigato." Leah heard Fiona say as they made their way out of the dungeon.

"I hope Shrek and Carley are okay." Leah said.

"Maybe they stopped Charming." Snowgre said nervous.

"They haven't." Gaara whispered as they heard somebody cackle behind them.

"Look who joined me in my christmas." Charming snickered as they prepared to fight...


	6. Trying to Help a Friend

Standing Out

Ch 6

Gaara then tried to use his chakra but without his demon, he was weak.

"I see the freak can't even defeat me!

Why don't you just give up?" Charming cackled as he shot magic hitting Gaara in the chest.

Leah saw Naruto get angry as his demon chakra surrounded him.

"Y-You won't get away with this!" he yelled as he hit Charming and sent him flying.

Snowgre smiled as he felt weird as he and Artie got out of the cage.

Leah saw them holding hands.

She smiled at that.

"_I hope they get gere soon._

_I know we can kick Charming's butt." _She thought as she saw Shrek show up along with Carley.

"You're here!

I was so worried." She said hugging them.

Fiona then had an idea as the other princesses. Showed up.

"Let's do it!" Snow said as they activated thgeir Winx.

"What's going on here?" Charming yelled scared.

"You'll see!" Fiona said as she unleashed her Dragon Fire.

Leah watched as the princesses combined their Winx.

He then dropped the Christmas sceptre and Leah picked it up.

"Let's fix Christmas and bring it back to normal!" she said as she and the others put their hands on it.

Suddenly a blast of magic shot out over the North Pole.

Charming ean away scared.

But Fiona followed him in her Winx form.

"W-What do you want?

You have the Christmas sceptre so you can heal the beauty of the season.

You've beaten me, you've won.

Happy?" the vain prince told her.

Gaara then watched as the magic in the gem began to fade.

"Why is it doing this?" Leah asked.

"Maybe it... needs help to get it back." Carley suggested softly.

"That's a great idea but how?" Snowgre asked them.

Suddenly a strange feeling took over the teenager.

"You okay?" Artie said to her but she wasn't listening.

She started to sing in a strange lanuage.

Suddenly they saw the magic returning to the sceptre and it flew into the air as bursts of Christmas magic surrounded the North Pole undoing Charming's damage.

_"Wow that was so cool!_

_How did she do it_?" Gaara thought as he saw Carley fall but Leah caught her.

"I know what it was." a voice said as an angel appeared.

She had light blue hair, wore a red and green dress and was slender with blue wings.

"What was it she did?

It was so amazing!" Artie asked her.

"She used her Christmas spirit and the gift of song to give the sceptre back it's magic.

It's magic comes from Christmas spirit.

Your friend's is very rare.

Not many humans have a powerful Christmas spirit." she said fading in a swirl of snowflakes as Fiona returned.

She was filled in by Leah and Snowgre as they returned to the swamp.

The triplets were still asleep in their room.

"Why didn't Charming try to hurt you when you went after him?" Snowgre asked Fiona softly.

"I don't know why." she answered.

Leah smiled as she wrapped her arms around Carley in bed in the spare room.

"Are you okay?

You seem distracted." she said softly.

She knew how quiet her friend was all the time.

"I-It's nothing." Carley replied softly.

Leah nodded as she kissed her.

"It's okay. The Spring term will be better." she whispered.

She was unaware that Snowgre had heard that and was curious.

"Snowg what were you doing there?" Shrek asked him.

"I couldn't sleep so I took a walk and I accidentally over heard.

I'm sorry, okay?

Why're you looking at me like that?" the teen replied.

"I'm worried about her." he told him.

"Carley?

What do you mean?" Snowgre asked confused.

"I've a feeling she doesn't want to go to college for Spring term.

I don't blame her." he answered as Snowgre had a blank look on his face.

"She's had a rough term from September. The other kids are different from her and she doesn't really fit in.

She's taking Music." he explained.

Snowgre understood as he went with him.

He wondered what he was up to.

Naruto was outside lying in the snow.

He couldn't sleep either.

"Naruto what're you doing out here?

You're gonna catch a cold!" a voice said.

It was Gaara.

He'd brought a mug of cocoa with him.

"Couldn't sleep?" Naruto asked him.

"Not really.

I'm worried but tired of hiding us from the village back home." Gaara replied.

But Artie could tell Shrek was still depressed about having BBS.

He wanted to help him.

But somebody was watching them.

It was somebody from Snowgre's home.

He'd been hiding something from the others but only Shrek knew.

"What's he doing here?

If anybody finds out who I am, they'd treat me differently." Snowgre thought as he walked over to where the messenger was.

He was an ogre too like Snowgre.

"Prince Snowgreia you need to return to the kingdom of Snowdion, your home.

Your powers are needed." he said to the ogre teen.

"Why should I?

My parents don't care about me, they don't know I'm alive.

When they found out I'm disabled, they sent me away.

Answer me that if they care so much about me." Snowgre told him storming off.

Artie had seen that and wondered what was wrong but the look in Snowgre's eyes warned him to stay away and let him cool off.

"_I wish you'd talk more to me._

_I wanna know what's wrong with you."_ he thought as he saw Leah with Snow and Fiona.

"What's wrong guys?" she asked them.

"It's Carley.

Shrek has a feeling that she doesn't want to leave after winter break.

Why is that?" Snow asked her.

"She has trouble fitting in, okay?" Leah said.

Fiona understood.

"She feels alone, like she can't connect with the others in the class.

I know what that's like.

I never fit in either with my peers.

" she said softly.

"Yeah but the teachers wanted to talk about her staying on.

That's why we came to spend the holidays with you guys because it would help get her mind off it." Leah explained.

Snow looked sad at that.

"Maybe there's a way." she told them.

"I don't think so. She's really sad.

She loves music and performing but..." Leah told them.

"But what?" Fiona asked.

"She's shy like Shrek and afraid that other kids won't like her for her and mock her because she's disabled.

It's hard for her to come out of her shell." she told them.

Snowgre had been listening and understood.

He then felt sleepy and went into his room since tomorrow was Christmas but the others were still up.

"She needs help with confidence." Shrek said to them.

"How long have you been there?" Fiona asked him.

"A while listening to you guys." he answered coming into the room.

"What did you mean by saying she needs confidence?" Snow asked him.

"She's very shy and hides the things she loves and hides herself because she can't handle it when people make fun of her.

When she's with us, Leah or listening to music or reading and writing stories, those things make her feel free." he explained to her.

But Rapunzel cackled as she went into the spare room...

She cackled disappearing...


End file.
